If you’ve just installed a set of bigger tires on your stock wheels or on a set of new wheels with too much back spacing, there’s a good chance that you’ll have some rubbing issues on your front sway bar, frame rail and/or lower control arms while making a full turn. This is also something you might see after installing a small lift especially if an adjustable front track bar wasn’t included with the kit. Now, the obvious fix for this would be to install a set of wheels that have less back spacing or install a set of wheel spacers to help reduce your back spacing or, in the case of a lift related issue, install an adjustable front track bar to recenter your axle but, if the rubbing you’re seeing is very minor, you may find it just as easy to adjust out your steer stops. Although this will cause you to loose some of your turning radius, this fix is super easy, cheap and can be done in within minutes using a couple washers and a wrench.

32 Comments so far

ldwilbanks January 15th, 2008
11:40 pm

I think I will try that. I went from the stock 255’s to some BF Goodrich Mud Terrain, 285’s and they barely rub at full turn. I looked into the option you show, but I was under the impression that I would have to remove the welded bead from the bolt. Thanks…

I was also fooled by the tack weld on the nut…I thought that you had to remove that in order to remove the bolt, but in looking at your photos, it seems the nut is welded to the bolt, and comes with it when you remove…thanks for the writeup.

glwood6

TJensen January 19th, 2008
8:05 pm

I’m running 37X13.50 on Hutchinson Rock Monster wheels and everything cleared until I put on a new bumber and winch. After a little track bar work and this extremely simple trick, I have almost completely eliminated the rub. And the loss to my turn radius with just one washer is so minimal I can hardly notice. Thank you for the education.

jim07x February 17th, 2008
4:43 pm

Worked Great! Running 33×12.5×17 on factory 17″ rims w/o any wheel spacers! Can still turn into garage or parking space w/o any problems!

utah-jk February 28th, 2008
1:20 pm

Two weeks ago I had my mechanic, who is also a jeeper, wire my winch. I told him about the rub on the sway bar after I put on my 285 70R17 Goodrich Mud Terrain tires on my factory rims. He suggested adjusting the steer stop, but when he saw the spot welded nut to the bolt, he told me that I would have to get new offset rims. I just did the adjustment myself, and the tires clear just fine. Thanks for the info!

Ryno July 27th, 2008
5:03 pm

Not to be nitpicky, but wouldn’t this INCREASE your turning radius? (Check the last sentence of step #5.)

how do you figure? adding more washers will cause your steer stops to come into contact sooner than before - i.e. limit the amount of turn you will get.

Ryno July 28th, 2008
2:42 am

What you said is correct, but I think you must be confused about the definition of turning radius. A vehicle’s turning radius is the radius of the smallest circle a vehicle is capable of turning. It’s a measurement of how “tight” of a circle a vehicle can turn; it doesn’t have any reference to the number of turns the steering wheel can make.

If I’m not mistaken, the purpose of this mod is to limit how sharp the tires can turn so they don’t make contact with various components, and that is done by reducing the number of turns the steering wheel can make lock to lock (albeit by only a fraction of a turn).

So, if you limit the amount the steering wheel can turn, the vehicle won’t be able to turn as tight of a circle. At full lock, the tires are forced to follow the arc of a larger circle because they can’t be turned as sharply. In other words, the circumference of that full-lock circle has increased, and therefore the turning radius has also increased, as the two are directly proportional.

But, it’s really not that big of a deal, although some people may be turned on by the idea of gaining a tighter turning radius by installing a couple of washers, which unfortunately isn’t the case.

Anyways… Sorry to bug you, WOL–I know you’re a busy man. Keep up the good work!

Stephen January 26th, 2009
4:31 pm

Any thoughts on replacing the factory steering stop bolts with something shorter in order to tighten the turning radius if you’re still running factory 255 tires. I’m running a snow plow and I would definitely like it if I could steer a little tighter like the old Wranglers.

if you shorten your turning radius, you will start to rub your frame and sway bar at a full lock.

Matt September 30th, 2010
11:06 am

I see in your photos that you have the wheels off and the rig jacked up. Is that required for doing this or can you leave the wheels on with no jacking. I could easily reach this bolt without jacking up my JK but wouldn’t want to break something if the vehicle weight puts pressure on these bolts.

you should be able to find them at your hardware store. check the specialty hardware drawer section and look for a grade 5 or 8. they are a bit more expensive but, you should be able to find exactly what you need.

Had some rubbing at full turn with 1.5 Spidertrax spacers on Sahara rims and 325/65/18 Nitto Terra Grapplers, no lift. Took 1 washer to get rid of rub.

Ruben July 4th, 2011
8:11 pm

Hey Deere_Jeep. Thanks for the posting. Wanted to see how big i can go w/o a lift on my Rubicon and your info helped.
Planning on getting a set of 17×9 Mamba Type M6 wheels w/ +20mm offset, might let me run a set of Nitto Terra Grapplers (285/75R17) 33.9″x11.5″ w/o lift; which are smaller than your 34.8″x13″

I added Nitto Trail GRappler 285/65/18 on stock wheels with no lift on a 2011 4dr JK. Slight rubbing at full lock. I read this post and added 4 washers on the left and three on the right and the rubbing is gone. Best 3.99 I ever spent. Thanks for the tip!

Rob August 23rd, 2011
3:22 am

Wow what a saving,I just fitted Mickey Thompson ATZ 4 ribs 285/70/17 on my JK and it rubs.So now I know how to fix this small problem.Thanks guys.
Rob from Australia

nate December 18th, 2011
2:13 am

the thing im curious about is with only one steering stop on the back side how does this prevent rub on the front side where the sway bar is…this is where tires rub the most but the stops are on the back side which would prevent rub against the frame only? i did not see any stops on the front side or how just the back ones would prevent rub on the sway bar, yet people say it helped keep it off the sway bar? did i miss something? is there another stop or am i just missing it?

nate January 9th, 2012
10:40 pm

after i posted this and thought about it i answered my own question….oh well even retards need love!

Pete October 19th, 2012
6:16 pm

Another question (sorry for my ignorance). I assume you do this on both sides, correct?

Thanks wayoflife just saved me a bunch of money! just had 3.5″ rk kit installed with 35″ duratracs and 17″ rockstars. My tire was rubbing my lca and 4wp said nothing i could do but put spacers on. I went to the hardware store spent less than 2.00$ problem fixed.

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